By Danielle Verrilli
Carrboro Commons Photo Editor

The directors of Hi Mom! 10 decided not to award flaming trophies this year, as in the first short film festival of 1998, but rather distributed software and $904 in prizes to filmmakers.

Audience members gather in the Carrboro ArtsCenter screening room on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008, prior to a matinee showing at the tenth anniversary of the Hi Mom! Film Festival. The block included thought-provoking films by both local and international filmmakers.

Staff Photo by Danielle Verrilli

“The flaming trophies were not exactly the safest thing,” said Tom Laney, one of the core directors of the tenth “no-fi-too-lo-or-hi festival of short films” held at the Carrboro ArtsCenter on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 5-6.

Screeners showed the films in four thematic blocks, including an 11 p.m. “rude and raunchy no-prudes-allowed” showing on Friday and a more thoughtful matinee block the following day. The first block on Friday, originally scheduled to be shown outdoors at the Wallace Parking Deck in Chapel Hill at 8 p.m., was moved indoors because of rain.

“Hi Mom! 10 was a pretty amazing success,” said head director Ian Krabacher, who co-founded the festival with other volunteers while president of the Carolina Production Guild student group at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1998.

Each block was filled to approximately 85 percent audience capacity, with tickets selling for $5 or less per block or $10 for the entire weekend. Saturday’s final primetime block was sold out with standing room only and featured films about such things as bubblewrap, Hiroshima and lost girlfriends.

The directors chose approximately 50 films to show from the more than 300 locally and internationally submitted entries. Submissions were free until the deadline, after which entrants paid a $15 “slacker fee.”

“If the slackers don’t have the slacker fee, then they can bribe us with whatever they have,” said Krabacher with a laugh, adding that in past years they have received bribes ranging from rubber fishing tackle to Chinese take-out menus and Woody Allen portraits. “We just try to keep the repertoire with filmmakers very casual.”

Filmmaker Lydia Moyer, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia who earned her Master of Fine Arts in 2005 at UNC-CH, enjoys the relaxed atmosphere of the festival.

“Sometimes you go to film festivals and they are super organized,” said Moyer. “This one feels kind of homemade.” She returned to the “familiar turf” of Carrboro to watch the screening of her film, “Poor Audrey,” about the wife of Hank Williams Sr.

The festival’s name, chosen by popular vote at the event’s founding, reflects the laid back nature of the event and represents the notion of people saying “Hi Mom!” while waving at the camera and smiling.

“People liked the name because of its simplicity,” Krabacher said.

The core directors note that the festival has changed over the years while maintaining the same atmosphere, expanding to international recognition and higher quality films. Changes in technology and the film industry have also affected the festival.

Matt Hedt, one of the festival’s co-directors, said that at the earlier festivals “almost everything came in on VHS and a few DVDs.” However, almost all the films are now submitted on DVD. “It’s kind of cool to see the change.”

Co-director Laney added that advanced sound and screening techniques also enhance the viewing experience. “A lot of short film stuff is viewed on the Internet, and we think that is really the worst way to watch these films,” he said.

Krabacher said the festival has continued to motivate the directors in their work within the film, video and commercial industries.

“[We hope] that people can get inspired, maybe to make a film for the first time,” Krabacher said, adding that the festival receives support from local businesses. “There is a sort of activist vibe in [Carrboro and Chapel Hill] where people like to join and support different aspects of community.”

The festival was also interactive. Audience members could add their input by voting for their favorite film to win the award after purchasing raffle tickets for various prizes.

Christopher Ewing of San Francisco, Calif., and PES of New York, N.Y., tied for the audience choice award for their respective entries “Releasing Serene” and “Western Spaghetti.” Each won $102 from the raffle money collected.

Krabacher said he wants to recognize the filmmakers’ efforts while also making it a learning experience. “[We] support the filmmakers as much as we can by putting tools and cash in their hands, so they can take on the next project they want to take on,” he said.

However, said Krabacher later, “I would like to believe in our hearts that we still give away flaming trophies.”

COMPLETE RESULTS

Best Dramatic Short: (Avid Media Composer)
“Releasing Serene” by Christopher J Ewing
San Francisco, Calif.

Best Documentary: ($100)
“When the Light’s Red” by Keith Wilson
Austin, Texas

Best Animation: ($100)
“Teen Beat of Sex” by Signe Baumane
New York, N.Y.

Best from NC: ($100)
“An Indefinate Meandering”
Wilmington, N.C.

Best Foreign: ($100)
“Billy the Kitty” by Luis Briceno
Paris, France

Best Editing Award: (Avid Media Composer)
“Dubus” by Alexei Dmitriev
St. Petersburg, Russia

Best Bang for the Buck: ($100)
“My Mum the Wrestler” by Mark Withers
High Peak, UK

Camera Aesthetics: ($100)
“Sift” by Sally Van Gorder
Raleigh, N.C.

Funniest of the Fest: ($100)
“Fantasie in Bubblewrap” by Arthur Metcalf
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Audience Choice Award (tie): ($102 each)
“Releasing Serene” by Christopher J Ewing
San Francisco, Calif.

“Western Spaghetti” by PES
New York, N.Y.

Equally Deserving Honorable Mentions:
“A Day’s Work” by Rajeev Dassani
Los Angeles, Calif.

“Life With Thomas” by Brian Liloia
Rutledge, Mo.

“Anezina Mirage” by Matt Hedt
Carrboro, N.C.

“A Devil In Eden” by Patrick Horne and Ryan Chamberlain
Greensboro, N.C.

“ Betty & Johnny” by Ellen Lake
Oakland, Calif.

“Count Backwards from 5” by Tony Gault
Glenwood Springs, Colo.

“The Camera” by Mark Cornell
Chapel Hill, N.C.

”Die Nacht der Pfannkuchen” by Damon Bishop
Chicago, Ill.

“Kentucky Kingdom” by Nancy Jean Tucker
Los Angeles, Calif.

“Poor Audrey” by Lydia Moyer
Covesville, Va.

”Nijuman No Borei” by Jean-Gabriel Periot
Tours, France

“Me Room Matey” by Kate Saufley
Orange, Calif.